Hitting the Trail

The Selkirk Park is close to where I live and has “a trail for any reason, and a trail for any season”. It boasts five trails with four rest/picnic stops for birders, hikers, bikers, or snowshoers.

Chickadee Trail - is a 2 km. dirt trail suitable for hiking year-round.

Blue Jay Trail - is only 200 metres long and is also a year-round hiking dirt trail.

Mallard Trail - is an 875-metre dirt trail, suitable for hiking from spring to fall.

Red Wing Trail - is a 3.4 km. gravel trail, suitable for hiking and cycling spring through fall, and used for hiking and skiing in winter.

Finally, The Ski Trail is a 2 km. winter trail.

In an earlier blog I talked about the trails in Little Lake Park, a small park at the east end of Dorchester Avenue. I am sure these are often overlooked, but I know from my grandkids’ experience there, they are well worth investigating.

Photo Credits: RM of St. Andrews

Because I live in the R.M. of St. Andrews, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the St. Andrews Walking Trail, 5.7 km. of trail running from St. Andrews Rd. south to River Road S at Larter’s Golf Course. This is a good walking, hiking, and biking trail. (Larter’s also offers ski trails in winter.)

Lower Fort Garry Trail is considered an easy route, taking around a half hour to complete. It is a 2.1 km. trail, out-and-back running from the Fort to where River Road North meets Highway #9, which is great for walking or cycling or pushing a stroller or carriage. It is an asphalt trail, open year-round and is part of the Trans Canada Trail.

Photo Credits: AllTrails & TrailForks

Up the east side of Lake Winnipeg there are several trails worth investigating:

The Ancient Beach Trail near Grand Marais is a 2.1 km. loop trail that is considered easy by most people’ it is terrific for families, and even younger children should be able to manage the walk. The trail features one uphill and one downhill sector, and there is an interesting large rock at the trailhead which deposited by glaciers long ago. Although there is a limited view of the surrounding landscape because of the trees, it is a perfect place to walk on a very hot, sunny day because of the shade. There is a variety of plants and birds to see; it is also about a half-hour walk.

I talked about the Brokenhead Wetlands Interpretive Trail in an earlier blog. It is a trail that is 3.6 km. out and in on a floating boardwalk is interpreted from a First Nations perspective and translated in Ojibway and English. The Brokenhead Wetland is part of Lake Winnipeg’s watershed that filters surface water before it enters the lake. The trail highlights the cultural and environmental interface between the four themes of respect, purpose, balance, and interconnection.

The trail provides a rare glimpse into the flora and ecology of a calcareous fen – one of the rarest wetlands in North America.

These wetlands are home to 28 of Manitoba’s 37 native orchid species, 8 species of carnivorous plants, and many other rare plants.

The Interpretive Trail is the centrepiece of the ecological reserve, which is a protected area of rare beauty being preserved through cooperation between First Nations, local advocates, and government, and is operated by Debwendon (“trust” in Ojibway) Inc. a non-profit organization. The trail is wheelchair-accessible, with rest stops along the way. Dogs are not permitted on the trail, even if leashed. The trail closes for winter every year.

For the “serious hikers” seeking a challenging trail, there is the Elk Island Loop, a 17.5 km. loop trail near Victoria Beach. It is considered a challenging trail, taking an experienced hiker about 3-1/2 hours to complete. Dogs must be on a leash.

Photo Credits: AllTrails, TrailForks, and Mavimet’s Blog

Birds Hill Provincial Park contains over 100 km. of all-season trails. There are over a dozen official and interpretive trails and countless bush trails. Some trails are specified for certain activities – especially in winter.  My son and daughter-in-law, and family of four aged 4 to 16 are regular visitors to the area, which is a popular family park.

Lime Kiln Trail, my family’s favourite, is a 7.8 km. looped trail that starts at the parking area on Nimowin Road and heads north past an old lime kiln that until the 1930’s made quicklime for whitewash, plaster, mortar, and sewage treatment. The limestone gravel was quarried from Birds Hill. The trail is open to hikers, horses, and horse-drawn carriages, and is a cross-country ski trail in winter. There is a warming shelter near the north end of the loop. The trail takes my son and his family about 3.5 hours.

Cedar Bog is a heavily trafficked self-guided looped trail. It is kid-friendly, good for hiking, snowshoeing, and running. Dogs on leashes are permitted, and the trail is a favourite for birders. The trailhead is about 6 km. from the park entrance on North Drive. It starts at a relatively high elevation, passes through an aspen forest, descending to a cool and damp cedar bog. It winds through regions of aspen, oak trees, grasslands, and eastern white cedar where you can see many animals and birds. Several benches along the trail provide rest stops for you. The trail takes about 1.5 hours.

Lakeview Trail is a 7.2 km looped trail winding through the woods and around the lake. It can start from the riding stable, East and West Beach parking lots, and the campground. This wheelchair accessible trail crosses the North Drive at its northern end and connects with the Bluestem and Aspen trails. The trail is not groomed in the winter. It takes about 3 hours.

Bur Oak Self-Guiding Trail is a short 1 km. trail with picnic tables and washrooms, which takes about a half hour to walk. It is wheel-chair accessible, asphalt-covered and loops through a stand of gnarled bur oak. The 8 on-site interpretive signs describe the plants and animals that are plentiful on the route. This trail is excellent for snowshoeing in the winter.

Prairie Winds Self-Guiding Trail was formerly known as the White-Tailed Deer Self-Guiding Trail because of the abundance of deer in their natural habitat. The on-site interpretive signs explain the biology, behaviour, habitat requirements, and management of white-tailed deer in the park. This 1.5 route meanders through aspen groves and across large meadows, with a viewing tower located at the opening to a grassland area and takes about an hour to complete.

Photo Credits: Tim Coffin

The last trail I wish to lead you down before we rest is the granddaddy of them all – The Red River North Portion of The Great Trail, which is 110 kilometres/68 miles from Grand Beach to the north of Winnipeg via Selkirk, Lockport, and Bird’s Hill.

This recreational trail preserves access to many of Manitoba’s varied landscapes, connecting communities and preserving culture and heritage. This trail is ideal for walking, jogging, hiking, biking, horseback riding, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling. It is popular with nature lovers, artists, photographers, historians, cyclists, explorers, and people looking for a venue for outdoor activity and exercise.

When you take this trail, you view that great inland ocean – Lake Winnipeg, wander through the summer havens of Grand Beach, Grand Marais, Victoria Beach, then trek through the more urban areas of East Selkirk and Selkirk, follow the heritage River Road and relive history at Lower Fort Garry, then cross the famous St. Andrews Lock and Dam at Lockport, on your way to the ever-popular Bird’s Hill, ending up where Henderson Highway and the Perimeter Highway meet at the north-east side of Winnipeg.

So if you are thinking of hitting the trail, Red River North is the place to go. Whether hiking, biking, skiing, or just going for a walk with family or friends….